Edwin holmes



E. HOLMES.

Eiectric Clock.

Patnted Marh 26, 1867.

@stuiten taire ste-nt @ffice IMPROVEMENT 1N eM-:crine mecum-BREAKING cLocKs @Llp Sdphnle marsh in in lgist'gtttns iztsut mit milking nrt nf tigt simu.

ro ALL PERSONS To WHOM THESEYPRESENTS- SHALL c oMn':v

` Be it 'known' that I, EDWIN HOLMES, of thc city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Electro-Magnetic Circuit-Breaking Clock; and I do'hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification, and representedvihthe accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a front elevation of a common clock'or time-piece provided with a circuit-breaking apparatus in accordance with my invention, the face and hour-denoting figures or characters of the clock being exhibited' -in redlines.

Figure 2 is u section of the breaker-wheel and its spring.

Figure 8 is a vertical and transverse section of such breuker-wheel and its adjusting wheel.

The purpose of my invention is to effect the breaking of an electro-magnetic circuit at any particular time of the day, and to ke'ep it broken for a determined period thereafter, if desirable.' It may also be constructed for closing a circuit at any definite .time of the day, and for keeping it closed 'during' such period or part of such day thereafter as may be desirable.

My invention is specially designed to be used with the circuit of an electro-magnetic alarm apparatus, particularly such as was patented by Augustus R. Pope, June 21, 1853, in which case it would be designed to` break the circuit at an early period in the'morning just previous te the time necessary for opening the house or one of thewindows or doors-thereof included in the circuit or to which 'the circui'tmay be applied. By so breaking the circuit, the sounding of the alarm will be prevented Whenever such door orwindoiv may be opened, and thus persons in the house, whom the alarm, if Soundedfwould awaken, can' remain asleep. 'I herefore it will be seen that thc particular object-of thus breaking the cireuitlisto enable a person at the proper time to open a door or' windowiin the circuit without at the-seme time causing the alarm to be sounded and awaken the inmates of the house whoniay be desirous'of remaining asleep. o

In the drawings, A denotes a clock of ordinary construction,.a being its hour hand and 6 its minute hand. On the arbor of the hour hand a, and concentrieally therewith, I arrange what I term the breaker-wheel B, which, by a. Short tubular shaft, c, is connected with an adjusting-Wheel, C, on whose face are marked the figures or signs representing the twelve hours. A portion of theA periphery of the wheel B, viz, that marked d, :i non-conductor of electricity, the remainder ofthe wheel being made of metal.. On the saidperiphery ot' the wheel B, a metallic'spring,D, beurs, it being extended from -a circuit-wire screwconnecticn,f, projected from anarni, g, which is Secured or xed to the metallic frame 7L of the clock, and shouldbe a non-conductor of electricity. One et1 the battery wires of the circuit, viz, that marked E, leads -into and is toibo fixed to the A"connection f. The continuation of the circuit is by a wire, F', leading from another screw-connection, i, xed to the frame 7i. While the Spring D is in Contact with the metallic part of the periphery Aof the breaker B tho circuit will be closed, but as soon as it comes into and whilev it. may `remain in contact-With the part d, the circuit will be broken or open. When themeridinn hour niark, vin-XII, of the adjusting-wheel isin its highest position, the spring D should be in contact with one extremity of the part-d. The circuit-breaker B and its adjusting-wheelshould revolve togetheron the arbor of the hour hand, with friction 4sufficient to-enable them to be carried around or revolved by it, and to be turned at other times on the arbor in-orderto adjust the part d with reference to the hour hand. In order to set the breaker B so as to cause the current to be broken at any particular hour, the number or character designating such hour on' the Wheel C 'should be brought around into juxtaposition with the hour hand. When the hour hand may reach that particular heur on the dial, .the part d will be brought into contact with the spring and the circuit will be broken.

What I claim as my invention, is-

Th'e combination as well as the arrangement of thc circuit-breaker B, itsadjuster C, and the spring D, with a clock or time-piece A, and an electric or electro-magnetic circuit, the whole being substantially as and for the iii purpose as hei einbefoie spec ed EDWIN HOLMES.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

